There are so many things that happen during a week with nine Border Collies and it's fun to share....

Sunday

The "Hot" Word...

I
have talked about this before with much vigor and it’s even a “Hot” topic with
Border Collie owners. It’s something that each of us have experienced
many times, but put yourself in my shoes and follow me around the farm.

I
have a lot of things that need to be done especially around the
fall of the year, and the only time that is worse is the springtime when
everything is getting started and there are many chores to do and now, even the
daylight time is getting shorter.

It
always starts the same, I wake up and plan my day depending on the weather and
how cold it is. It has been a lot cooler
this year and we already had some snow on the ground which has even pressed my
time just a little closer. After
breakfast and after I have dressed, I go out and feed the dogs, they are
SO excited because they want to get out as fast as they can so they can run and
play. This is always a challenge, but it always
starts the same.

After they hastily eat, it’s time to open their kennel door for the mad dash. If one dog is first to get out, then they wait and
bark inside the kennel for someone else so you can race together. This will happen for about 4 dogs and as the
5th dog is let out, it’s time for all of them to run through the door at the same time, which is impossible, but they try, and
yes, they really do try to fit all 5 dogs through the small door. What a bottleneck but as it clears, the rest
come running and try to catch up which they do.
Of course the whole time everyone is barking and yelping and I even had
someone here when this happened and they ask…”Do they do this every time” and I answered, “of course, they do”. But that’s not the Hot” topic.

"Do you know what I'm thinking?"

“Ball” is the “Hot” word. Nearly everyone that I talk to will say the
same thing, “My Border Collie” is obsessed with a ball and I will always answer
the same way, “Mine too”, but give it some thought, I have 8 that are obsessed
with a ball. And it’s hard to get things done because of it. So follow me through the day as they jump and
skip, wanting to play.

Maybe because we start early...

If I'm really busy, I will ignore them (can't be done) but they always “bring” me things to play with. As we walk or work, mysteriously a tennis ball will
show up at my feet and 8 Border Collie faces look at the ball, and then at me, and then back at the ball, wanting me to pick it up and I sometimes walk by the ball but again, it’s by my feet and so on. The're very persistent...

Clancy learned this from Tucker

At
times, they will go and find as many as 6 or 8 balls after I hide the first one that they discovered in the
weeds or leaves, trying until one works and I will get tired and just throw it, if only they could bring me a dollar. Just today, Abbie brought me “part” of a
ball.It had one side out, but in her mind,
it’s a ball, something that should be thrown.

If all fails, she will bring
me a stick. As I said I know your dog is
obsessed with a ball but 8?

Even Molly....

God bless
them, I feel so sorry and will pick up the ball and throw it and off we
go, trying to work and throwing…The cycle continues but I wouldn't have it any other way...It's a Border Collie thing...Ken